


Better than Winning

by that_disabled_mutant



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Artist Mai (Avatar), Azula is the best wingman, F/F, Gymnast Ty Lee (Avatar), mailee, replenish the Mailee tag on AO3 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:27:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25881313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/that_disabled_mutant/pseuds/that_disabled_mutant
Summary: Ty Lee is Mai's customer, but she wants to be more than that.
Relationships: Azula & Ty Lee (Avatar), Mai & Sokka (Avatar), Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 80





	Better than Winning

Ty Lee bounced into the flower shop, the scent of sweet roses and daffodils wafting into her nose.

“Hey, Azula. Ready for work?” she asked her coworker.

“Yeah, I guess. It looks like it’s gonna be a slow day,” Azula said.

“Then you won’t have to talk to as many customers.” Ty Lee smirked.

“Yeah, but I’ll have to listen to you gush about gymnastics all day.”

“Gymnastics is fun! I still think you should try it out.”

“No thanks. You know I’m more of a fencing girl.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll convince you one day.”

The bell on the door rung softly. 

“Hey, Zuko! Is there anything I can help you with?” Ty Lee greeted.

“Yeah, I’m looking for some flowers to give to Sokka,” Zuko said.

“Isn’t your anniversary tomorrow?” Azula asked.

“Yeah. I’m nervous.” Zuko looked down at his feet.

“You’ll do great! I’m sure he’ll love whatever you have planned,” said Ty Lee.

She helped Zuko pick out a combination of pink carnations and yellow tulips.

“Good luck tomorrow!” Ty Lee waved.

“Bye, Zuko.” Azula smiled at her brother.

“Bye, guys. Thanks for the flowers,” he said.

Once he was gone, the two girls continued their conversation.”

“So, I was thinking… what if I got a tattoo?” Ty Lee said.

“Really? You want a tattoo?” Azula asked with disbelief.

“Yeah! I was thinking about getting a flower.”

“You should do it.”

“I’ll go after work and get it over with.”

-

Mai was drawing in her sketchbook when a girl walked into the parlor. One was dressed in pink with a ponytail. She was embarrassed to admit that she was attractive when she was wearing  _ that much _ pink.

  
  


“Hey, how can I help you?” Sokka asked. He usually worked the front desk so Mai didn’t have to. She’d never been very good with people. She would have to work the desk tomorrow when he was off for his anniversary with Zuko.

“I want to get a tattoo,” Ty Lee said. “Do you have any openings?”

“Yeah, Mai can take you.”

“Thanks!”

Mai walked over to her station and Ty Lee followed. 

“So you want a flower?” Mai asked.

She nodded.

“On my forearm.”

Mai pulled out her sketchbook and opened it to a page filled with various flowers and plants.

Ty Lee was amazed by how beautiful they were. How could someone be so talented  _ and _ pretty?

She picked a pink dahlia and Mai got to work.

-

The tattoo came out perfectly. Ty Lee couldn’t believe how alluring it was. (And how alluring  _ Mai  _ was). 

She left the parlor after thanking Mai and Sokka. She felt sort of empty when she left, missing the girl she just met.

When she got home, she texted Azula.

**Ty Lee:** _ AZULA HELP _

**Azula:** _ What? Did something go wrong with the tattoo? _

**Ty Lee:** _ No it’s amazing  _

**Azula:** _ So what’s wrong??? _

**Ty Lee:** _ I think I have a crush on the girl who did my tattoo  _

**Azula:** _ Ask her out then  _

**Ty Lee:** _ I can’t just ask her out! She’s probably straight. Even if she’s not she probably doesn’t feel the same way _

**Azula:** _ You won’t know until you ask her _

**Ty Lee:** _ I’ll think about it _

Ty Lee did not think about it. She wasn’t going to ask her out. Not yet. 

She made dinner debating on whether she should get another tattoo so she could see Mai again.

-

“So, are you gonna ask her out?” Azula asked Ty Lee as she walked into work.

“Not yet,” Ty Lee said.

Azula rolled her eyes.

The bell chimed as the front door opened. Ty Lee looked over and saw Mai.

“Oh, hey. Was it Ty Lee?” Mai asked.

“Yeah, the tattoo turned out really nice!” Ty Lee said. “Thank you, you’re really talented.

Mai blushed.

“Thanks. Can I see it again?”

“Of course!”

Ty Lee flipped over her arm. Mai held it up and examined it closely.

“Do you really like it?” Mai asked.

“How could I not?”

The corner of Mai’s lips curved up into a small smile.

“So, do you want to buy any flowers?” Asked Ty Lee. She turned around to see Azula smirking at her.

_ Shut up,  _ she mouthed, which only made Azula’s smirk bigger.

“I was thinking about getting some for the parlor.” Mai answered.

“Any ideas on what you want?”

“No.”

“I’ll help you pick some out, then.”

Ty Lee smiled and led Mai over to a selection of hibiscuses. 

“How about these?” Ty Lee asked.

“Sure, they’re nice,” Mai responded.

Azula checked out Mai’s order. Ty Lee opened the door for her.

“Bye, Mai!” She waved with her free hand.

“Bye.” Mai walked back to the parlor to start her shift.

“So, I take it that's the girl you have a crush on?” Azula asked.

“Yeah.”

“And you are aware that hibiscuses mean  _ delicate beauty _ .”

“Hey! I’m just trying to drop hints.”

“Fair enough.”

-

Two days later, Mai came back to the shop.

“Hey, Mai! How are you?” Ty Lee asked. 

“I’m fine. I was wondering if I could stay here for a bit and practice drawing some flowers.”

“Of course!” 

About an hour passed when Mai got up from where she was sitting on the floor and walked over to the counter where Ty Lee was standing.

“Here.” Mai helps out a drawing of some Lilies.

“No, you should keep it,” Ty Lee said.

“I drew it for you.”

Ty Lee’s eyes widened as she gently grabbed the paper. 

“Thanks. Can I hang it up?”

“Sure, it’s yours now.”

-

After her shift, Ty Lee went to get a frame for the picture. She made sure to find one that complimented the flowers perfectly.

When she got back to the shop to hang it up, she noticed a phone number written on the back.

She smiled and texted Mai right away.

**Ty Lee:** _ Hey, it’s Ty Lee. I saw your number on the back of the drawing 🌸😊 _

**Mai:** _ Hi. Have you hung it up yet? _

**Ty Lee:** _ I’m about to. Anyways I was wondering if you’d want to come to my gymnastics meet this weekend. You don’t have to of course but it might be fun. Plus you can’t practice some of the gymnasts 🖊 _

**Mai:** _ Ok. I’ll see you there. _

Ty Lee smiled again. Did this count as a date? She was going to tell Azula it was one, anyway.

She finished hanging up the picture and called Azula on her way home. 

The phone rang a couple times before Azula picked up.

“I asked Mai out!” Ty Lee yelled.

“Jesus Christ, you don’t have to be that loud,” Azula said. “What are you guys doing?”

“I invited her to my meet on Saturday.”

“That’s not an actual date, idiot.”

“It kind of is.”

“How about we make a deal. If you don’t get first place you have to ask her out on an actual date.”

“Fine.”

-

At the meet, Ty Lee found Mai in the crowd and waved.

She smiled at her and blushed.

Ty Lee went on to compete while Mai watched her, impressed by her graceful movements.

When she was finished, she went back to her spot wanting to win, but also kind of wanting to lose so she could ask Mai out. 

Soon enough, the awards were announced. 

Third and second place were called. Either she got first or didn’t place at all.

“And the winner is Ty Lee!” The announcer said. People cheered with excitement. Ty Lee was disappointed. She could still ask her out though, right? Azula didn’t say she couldn’t if she won. 

She accepted the award and found Mai as soon as possible.

“Congratulations,” Mai said.

“Thanks.” Ty Lee smiled, butterflies filling her stomach as she started into her beautiful eyes.

“So I was wondering if you would want to go out with me. On a date.”

Ty Lee couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Mai really asked her out? 

“Of course! I was actually going to ask you but you beat me to it.”

Mai smiled. It was beautiful, and Ty Lee wanted to kiss her. So she did.

She rested her hand on the other girl’s cheek, leaned in, and connected her lips to Mai’s. 

Ty Lee decided that kiss was better than winning.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! It's not too long but I tried my best.


End file.
